Battle Isle
| Developer: Blue Byte | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Ubi Soft | Sound: |
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| Year: 1991 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Strategy | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 2 simultaneous | Rating: |
8/10 | |
If I mention hexagonal grid: what do you think of? The tiling in your bathroom? Aunt Germaine’s tablecloths?
Wrong. It’s a way of representing maps in turn-based wargames. Originally found in board games focused on military tactics, these grids allowed players to manoeuvre troops over long distances, modelled as tiles, all while accounting for factors like terrain, supply lines, or enemy positions. Hexagonal tiles, unlike squares, are equidistant (by their centre) from all adjacent tiles. This makes movement smoother and avoids diagonal shortcuts. Why not have chosen octagons, you might ask? Well, because they do not constitute a regular tiling of the Euclidean plane! Best not to ask.
On computers, this type of strategic game (wargame)—loaded with intricate rules and often devoid of visual flourish—is mostly intended for a passionate audience, typically fans of tabletop role-playing games. Personally, these games remind me of SSI (Strategic Simulations, Inc.), a company that churned out titles based on 20th-century warfare. SSI hit its peak with Panzer General and its sequels starting in 1994, available on PC/Mac and PlayStation. And yes, it’s a scandal that the series came to an end.
What about the Amiga? Oh, there were plenty! Red Lightning, Conflict: Europe, Conflict: Middle East, Conflict: Korea, Brigade Commander, Full Metal Planete, The Perfect General… But as I said earlier, these games were often impenetrable, dull, or outright ugly. That’s where Battle Isle stands out, being one of the first electronic wargames to make an effort towards the general public, thanks to a polished presentation and accessible handling.
The story takes place in a distant galaxy … two factions … futuristic technology … and kaboom war. The game’s objective: seize an island by taking control of all enemy headquarters, or, more traditionally, by annihilating all opposition, guns blazing!
The interface, for once, proves ergonomic: select a unit with the joystick, hold the button, then move in the desired direction to choose an action: move/shoot, display stats, end your turn, etc.
The only point that seemed difficult to understand was how to play against the computer. It’s actually an anti-copy protection. Enter the code: “CONRA”.
Battles are illustrated by small animated sequences, which give some life to a usually static genre. Turn-based is rarely thrilling or spectacular. I like it because it requires no reflexes. One can thus engage in other activities simultaneously, like drying one’s laundry, something impossible in a racing game, you’ll agree.
Turns alternate between two modes: the first player plans movements while the other attacks, then in the next turn, roles are reversed. This way, one waits less time for one’s turn. However, keep in mind that your units will only move if they survive the enemy’s salvo.
Several types of units are offered: land, naval, air, and an experience system will make them more efficient as you send them into battle (assuming they live to tell the tale). You’ll occasionally need to capture factories to manufacture new units, or a depot to repair them. These buildings require energy to operate, provided by crystals, scattered across the map, which you must retrieve before your opponent. Alternatively, you could go full pirate: intercept enemy transports or occupy their installations.
A few things might put off some players: the split-screen view, the wait time for the AI to process its moves, and the considerable role of luck in skirmishes. (Personally, I find randomness spices up strategy—especially when you play like a bum, right?)
“In all endeavours, two-thirds should be given to reason, and one-third to chance. Increase the former, and you’ll be timid. Increase the latter, and you’ll be reckless.” — Napoléon Wikipédia Bonaparte.
Over the following years, several expansion disks were released, adding new game elements. In 1993, the same studio developed Historyline 1914-1918, a very similar game. Finally, between 1994 and 2000, we saw a parade of sequels: Battle Isle 2, 3, 4, and Battle Isle: The Andosia War.
Note: If I’m not mistaken, the explosion sound used in this game, and in Fire Power (and in Swooper, Grid Start, Alien Fish Finger…), has been recycled endlessly since the 1950s, especially in movies.
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